On Media

Mitt Romney to skip March 1 CNN debate

(CNN) – Mitt Romney and Ron Paul told the Georgia Republican Party, Ohio Republican Party and CNN Thursday that they will not participate in the March 1 Republican presidential primary debate.

"Mitt Romney and Ron Paul told the Georgia Republican Party, Ohio Republican Party and CNN Thursday that they will not participate in the March 1 Republican presidential primary debate," CNN said in a statement. "Without full participation of all four candidates, CNN will not move forward with the Super Tuesday debate. However, next week, CNN and the Arizona Republican Party will host all four leading contenders for the GOP nomination. That debate will be held in Mesa, Arizona on February 22 and will be moderated by CNN's John King."

ORIGINAL STORY:

Mitt Romney will skip the CNN Republican debate scheduled for March 1, just days before Super Tuesday.

"Gov. Romney will be spending a lot of time campaigning in Georgia and Ohio ahead of Super Tuesday," Romney press secretary Andrea Saul said in a statement. "With eight other states voting on March 6th, we will be campaigning in other parts of the country and unable to schedule the CNN Georgia debate. We have participated in 20 debates, including 8 from CNN."

The news was first reported on Twitter by Sarah Boxer of CBS News and the National Journal.

Santorum press secretary Alice Stewart tells me his campaign has not confirmed whether or not Santorum will participate in the debate.